Hi Aly – nighttime wetting is considered to be completely normal until the age of 7 years – particularly when it comes to boys. Most parents and children are motivated to wear absorbent pants at night to reduce the work and stress associated with dealing with constant wet sheets. With winter upon us many parents worry about their children waking during the night or sleeping through in cold wet sheets. The decision of whether or not to use absorbent pants is ultimately up to you and your son. If you do decide to introduce them I would strongly recommend that you use DryNites rather than nappies or Pull-Ups, these are specifically designed to appeal to older children and are made to look more like undies than a nappy so children do not feel that they have somehow regressed. It is important that you explain to your son that this is not his fault, unlike daytime wetting, children do not have conscious control over their bladder at night and therefore do not respond in the same way to training efforts which were successful in helping them to achieve daytime control. It’s important to keep in mind that most children do outgrow bedwetting with time – until then absorbent pants like DryNites will certainly help reduce your workload and ensure that he gets a good night’s sleep.

Regards,
Dr Cathrine

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